English: the unsound medium

Learning in a Foreign Language: A case study of English in India

            P. B. Shelly in his famous work, 'Ode to the West Wind,' ends with a famous line: “O Wind! If winter comes, can spring be far behind?”. Mumbai, where this chapter was being taught, barely faces temperatures below 20 degrees Celsius. Shelly had referred to a harsh, unkind and sombre weather; however, the students in the class couldn't fathom what is so wrong with the winters. Thankfully, the teacher was nuanced, and he had anticipated such a dilemma. He apprised the students of the difficulties in comprehending similes and metaphors used by foreign authors. Unfortunately, in a country of 1.25 people, not many teachers can decrypt such analogies. The hope shown by Shelly is reduced to a very bleak motivation, thanks to the language of instruction. English has made learning difficult for the students in India.

            Before moving to reasons and effects, it is important to understand how English became integral to the Indian education system. Though India can boast of several glorious centuries in the first millennium, it had been invaded by several rulers till it gained its independence in 1947. India was colonised in the last two centuries by the British Empire. During this period, an eminent jurist Lord Macaulay devised the modern education system, which is still prevalent. The intention of this move has been a matter of contention amongst historians; however, they've converged on one point: to popularise and encourage the use of English language. This was done to ensure higher penetration of British Empire and recruit valuable human resource to serve the empire in the subcontinent. The attempt was successful beyond doubt, so much so, that it forms the basis of education system practised in India. There's a famous saying in a local language which translates to 'English have left but they left English here' (Jack and Sharma).Thus, English was introduced very systematically using a policy framework by the imperial government.

            The introduction of English led to a massive inequity in access to education in India. As English became a symbol of prestige in the society, institutions established by British gained popularity. They followed Macaulay's pattern of teaching and used English as the sole medium of instruction. In those times, the social, economic and political standing of India was at an ebb. People were destitute, and the contemporary generation had no knowledge of English. This led to a situation where only the elite in the society was able to receive education in such institutions. The majority, therefore, was left uneducated, closing doors to all avenues of economic and social development. Even though, several schools taught in the local language; however, people had started assessing the competency of teachers by proficiency in English. Genuine scholars and institutions, who taught in traditional schools and catered to the common man, faced a new challenge of derecognition: both, by the English institutions and the society. Thus, the introduction of English had restricted education to a selected few, which has left Indian society uneducated.

            Moreover, even today, use of English has become an impediment to understanding fundamental concepts. Because English is still not spoken by most of the citizens, comprehending certain words and phrases is difficult for students. In such a situation, learning involves a two-tier process involved: Firstly, translation of the text in the native language and then, understanding the idea discussed. This extra effort required to translate the sentence has adverse effects. It consumes more energy and time, and more importantly, a mistake at any one of the two steps will lead to either misunderstanding or no understanding. It is disheartening to note that since most of the students are unable to translate, they cannot learn the lesson. Even the governments have not taken this issue seriously, thereby causing a dearth of knowledge resources in local languages. The rudiments have become arcane because the medium of communication is inept.

            Countries that teach their students in local languages have performed better in the segment of education. Almost all the countries in the world, at least up to high school, use their local language to teach students. For instance, China, which is the largest economy in Asia, uses Chinese at all levels. Japan has also ensured that even higher education is taught in Japanese. Most developed nations have made it compulsory to use the local language as the sole medium of instruction. Their success is manifested in higher literacy, improved ability in making informed choices, and appreciation for multidisciplinary studies. India, on the other hand, is finding it hard to break the conventions and adopt a novel methodology. India has poor literacy, very few interdisciplinary research centres, and students rarely make informed choices. India ranks poorly in HDI. It can now be easily estimated that a handicapped education system is the primary cause of such discouraging indices. Hence, examples from other countries further the need to change English as the medium of instruction.

            Another reason why English becomes a cause of nightmare for students is the stark difference in the structure of Indian languages and English. Though linguists classify these languages in the same category, the author doesn't agree with them. The first difference is of pronunciation. The letters in English have several sounds that change according to usage; whereas, in Indian languages, each letter has a distinct sound which remains same throughout. Another difference is that of the script, which requires students to make an extra effort to familiarise. Finally, the literature of Indian languages is better understood by Indians as literary instruments have manifestations in the day to day life. For, all these reasons, English is difficult to comprehend for Indians.

            In conclusion, while English has benefitted a few Indians to settle in developed nations, it has deprived the rest of the nation of an effective and robust education system. Usage of English has caused enormous difficulty to students, owing to its dissimilarity with the local language. Countries that instruct in local language have achieved the objective of universal education. It is high time that not only India but all the countries that are not using local languages to teach must take initiatives to introduce gradually the same. A nation is not independent if it does not speak its tongue.

Works Cited

Jack, Gibson and Brij Sharma. "An Indian Englishman." Sharma, Brij. Memoirs of Jack Gibson in India. 2008. 179.